Make Things Sink, Then Float

A tang of science

You will need

• Modelling clay or blue tag
• Marbles (if you don’t have marbles, use small rocks)
• Water
• Glass bowl or a large glass jar

What to do

1. Fill the glass bowl or jar with water.
2. Drop the marbles into the water. They quickly sink to the bottom. Roll the clay into a ball and drop it into the water as well.
3. The clay also sinks like the marbles.
4. Remove the marbles and the clay ball from the water.
5. Flatten the clay as much as possible, then shape it to make a boat and place it into the water. Now it floats!
6. Add one marble as a cargo. The boat settles lower, but still floats.
7. Add more marbles, one at a time. How many can you add before your boat sinks?

Background

Large ships float on water, even though they are very heavy. However, a small object like a marble…

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